


the courtesy of 'almost'

by jjjjuicy



Category: I Am Not Okay with This (TV 2020)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:01:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22960624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jjjjuicy/pseuds/jjjjuicy
Summary: Bradley's speech at homecoming from Stan's perspective.
Relationships: Stanley Barber/Sydney Novak, Sydney Novak/Dina (I Am Not Okay With This)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 206





	the courtesy of 'almost'

“Listen up! Give me a second, give me a second!”

Bradley Lewis’ voice ringing around the bedazzled auditorium was the first sign that something terrible was going to happen. Stan had been back on the bleacher by then, after arguing with the DJ to play songs he liked, failing, and then deciding not to return to Sydney and Dina because they were dancing and looked like they were having a good time. He had stared at them for a while, even wished that Dina was him instead, and then promptly banished the thought from his head. If Sydney didn’t like him, then he’d just have to deal with it. He can’t force her. He’s not that kind of guy. Just being her friend had been enough- she was easy to be around, and casual, unlike the rest of the girls who were too uptight to even realize that they were missing out.

“I would like to take this moment to talk about something very important that affects everyone here.” Bradley continues. The air of confusion around the room is evident, as well as those on stage who look less than pleased that their moment to shine had been pulled from them. Bradley Lewis’ eyes are trained on someone specific in the audience, though Stan can’t tell who.

“Sydney Novak!”

Stan’s stomach drops and he’s suddenly on his feet, staring at the scene from behind the curtain of twinkling lights and knowing instinctively that nothing good will come of this.

“Hey, Sydney! Raise your hand! Raise your hand. Give a wave so everybody can see you!”

Sydney doesn’t raise her hand, but a circle of people looking at her and Dina form. Sydney’s too short to see from here, but Stan spots Dina’s hair. He’s frozen in his spot, unaware of what to do- does he intervene? He can’t take Bradley Lewis in a fight. It’s no match. But he also knows that Sydney can topple a forest and Bradley isn’t a match for her. Finding himself out of breath, Stan stares. He’s the only person on the bleachers, too- everyone else is crowded around.

“You see, what a lot of people don’t know about Sydney here, she is one hell of a writer.” His words hang in the air like the glittery stars. Bradley jumps from the stage, sending feedback wailing into the silent audience and then begins to cut through the group, parting it like the sea as he walks.

“You know, it’s… it’s funny, because everyone is so fast to call me an asshole, but while I was downstairs banging Jenny Tuffield at Ricky’s… guess what Sydney was doing upstairs.”

Stan can guess- he knows she kissed someone at the party. Maybe it was one of Brad’s friends, and that’s why he’s so angry.

“She was kissing my girlfriend!”

Stan blinks. For a second, it doesn’t make sense, and then everything clicks together like a puzzle piece. _Dina._ It’s always been about Dina, hasn’t it? A part of Sydney belonged to Dina, and Stan knew that, but he hadn’t been aware of _why._

Sydney loves Dina. It’s not hard to believe.

It hurts a lot, Stan realizes. His chest is twisting and his stomach feels cold and he thinks that if he weren’t broiling with anger at Brad for just outing Sydney to the whole school, he would start crying. Instead, he balls up his fist.

“Now, don’t get me wrong, chicks get drunk, they make out sometimes, and I’m all for it.”

Stan hates Brad. He takes a step down on the bleachers without even realizing it.

“…But being a full on dyke? That’s a whole other ball game.”

_You look like a faggot._ Rings in Stan’s ears, and suddenly Stan has never wanted to punch someone more in his life, not even his stupid, deadbeat, peaked-in-high-school dad because for all intents and purposes, he and Bradley might as well be the same person.

“I mean, Syd is fucking in love with Dina. Page after page, it’s absolutely pathetic.”

“Oh, shut up, Brad!” Dina’s voice defensively rings out. It’s a small relief to Stan to know that she’s not going to throw Sydney under the bus, and the thought that Dina might like Syd back pops up in Stan’s brain. He squashes that one, too, because it hurts to think about Dina being exactly where Stan wants to be.

“And, my god, don’t even get me started with the daddy issues on this one.”

And Stan’s walking. Stan’s walking because he wants to protect Sydney. Because he knows what it’s like to have daddy issues.

Because he had taunted Sydney about her daddy issues in a bowling alley, and she had almost killed him, and Stan’s confident that if he doesn’t stop all of this that Sydney won’t give Brad the courtesy of ‘almost’.

“Everyone in her life thinks she’s a piece of shit. And I mean everyone.”

Stan doesn’t think she’s a piece of shit. Stan never could think that. Stan loves her. Stan loves Sydney Novak. Stan is in love with Sydney Novak, and nothing can change that, even if she doesn’t like him back, even if she broke his heart, even if she is the most terrifying person he knows, absolutely nothing can stop him from loving her-

“Hey, man! Leave her alone!”

And then Stanley’s on the floor.


End file.
